Georgia Hiker Fought Her Convicted Killer Before He Tricked Her

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ATLANTA ...

Georgia Hiker Fought Her Convicted Killer Before He Tricked Her

ATLANTA — Using her wits and training as a martial artist, Meredith Emerson struggled to survive in the north Georgia mountains after she was abducted by a drifter who was looking for easy prey, interviews with her convicted killer have revealed.

Details of the interview with Gary Michael Hilton obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation tell the tale of Hilton's four days with Emerson, and how she fought him from the moment he tried to overpower her as she hiked with her dog, Ella.

In the end, it was Hilton who apparently outsmarted her before bludgeoning Emerson to death and decapitating her. But investigators said she never gave up.

Hilton, a wiry man with a slight build, told investigators he targeted the 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate because she was a woman. For a time, they walked together with their dogs on New Year's Day near the Appalachian Trail in Union County, but the 61-year-old Hilton couldn't keep up.

When Emerson headed back down the trail, Hilton was waiting with a military-style knife. He demanded her ATM card and Emerson immediately went on the defensive, grabbing the blade and the baton Hilton countered with.

On the day Hilton killed Emerson, he told her "she was going home." After securing her to a tree, he walked back to the van to collect himself and made some coffee.

When he came back, Hilton walked up behind her as if he were coming over to remove the chains holding her to the tree and hit her several times with the handle from a tire jack.

If she had been armed with a gun...

It is at times like this that I struggle with my faith.
My emotions could kill this piece of garbage with my bare hands.
I trust that there will be REAL justice for this individual, and others like him, one day.

Preface: I'd posted this 10 minutes ago at a different form then came here and noted this thread.
The story below is as told by the attacker and murderer. Also do know the person like many other criminals and murderers in specific is mentally ill and could as well for all we know not be telling the truth in whole.
For the record I personally am for allowing concealed carry in national parks. Do I ever hike overnight or stay for extended trips in such areas and thus have 'need' toward carry in said parks? No. Not ever have I done so.
But there are many who do including women who like this victim do hike and camp in such areas and could make use of such lawful capability.

As reported via ABCNews.com:

Killer: Hiker Fought to End for Survival
Confessed Killer Tells Investigators a Georgia Hiker Fought to the End to Survive

A Georgia judge said she agreed with Gary Hilton's guilty plea in the brutal death of Meredith Emerson because he likely would have died in prison before the state would be able to execute if he were sentenced to death. (AP Photo)

ATLANTA Mar 23, 2008 (AP)

Meredith Emerson used her wits and martial arts training when she was attacked in the north Georgia mountains by a drifter who eventually killed and decapitated her, the convicted killer told investigators.

Gary Michael Hilton described his four days with Emerson, and how she fought him from the moment he tried to overpower her as she hiked with her dog, Ella, according to the interviews that The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

"She was doing everything she could to stay alive," GBI Director Vernon Keenan told the newspaper. "It's not something you can train for. Instinct kicks in ... She nearly got the best of him. She's very much a hero."

Hilton pleaded guilty to charges he killed Emerson and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. He had agreed to lead investigators to her body if prosecutors didn't seek the death penalty. He also has been indicted in Florida in the slaying of another woman whose decapitated body was found in a forest on Dec. 15.

He told investigators he targeted the 24-year-old University of Georgia graduate because she was a woman.

For a time, they had hiked together on New Year's Day near the Appalachian Trail in Union County, but the 61-year-old Hilton couldn't keep up.

When Emerson turned and headed back down the trail, Hilton was waiting with a military-style knife. He demanded her ATM card and Emerson immediately went on the defensive, grabbing the blade and a baton Hilton used to counter her struggle.

"She wouldn't stop," Hilton told investigators. "She wouldn't stop fighting. And yelling at the same time. So I needed to both control her and silence her."

Hilton said he did that by punching her, blackening both her eyes and possibly breaking her nose. He said the blows also broke his hand.

When he thought he had worn her down, Emerson fought him again, he said.

Hilton said he calmed her down by telling her that he just wanted her credit card and PIN number, then avoided established trails as he led Emerson back down from the mountains and placed Emerson and her dog in his van.

Emerson bought herself three days by giving Hilton the wrong PIN for her ATM card, telling him each time that the numbers were correct.

"That's the one thing that broke my heart in this case," said GBI agent Clay Bridges, who interviewed Hilton. "She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive, and we didn't get there in time."

On the day Hilton killed Emerson, he told her "she was going home." He secured her to a tree, walked back to his van to collect himself and make coffee, and when he returned, he said, Emerson told him: "I was afraid you weren't coming back."

He said he walked behind her and hit her several times with the handle from a car jack.

Hilton said he couldn't bring himself to kill Emerson's dog. When Bridges asked if Hilton had the same equivocations about Emerson, Hilton described the experience as "surreal."

"It was hard," Hilton told the investigator. "You gotta remember we had spent several good days together."

Follow on thought: Note how he speaks of having issue with killing the womans dog...after he had beat her,broke her nose, and ultimately tied her to a tree to beat her in the head with a jack handle and kill her. He can brutally bludgeon to death a human being but he can't kill a dog so he lets it go. These are the same kind of people who share our streets and sit beside us at work or restaurants, and they might at first glance or under some light look and seem to be 'normal'. Hilton's former employer who ultimately set up his capture had thought so, before news of this incident had hit the airwaves during the search for him.
Oh, and when this was fresh in the news her relatives were on screen saying she was "tough" and "could handle anything" and that she "had her dog with her". I recall these in specific via news conference statement from her sister and mother on CNN and I also recall thinking upon hearing as much that these people are deluding themselves. Strong women with dogs get owned all the time. Oh and her dog, it was some small spitz type lab mix dog maybe 50 lbs. wet. Not exactly security in the physical and as he reports it was not beneficial to her in spirit or temperment either.
Meanwhile this guy looks to weigh 130lbs maybe standing in the range of 5'10 and is a relatively old man at 61 yrs.of age. He has admitted to killing two women, Emerson as well as a school teacher prior. Not the image one might think of in their own mind as being a 'threat' muchless a boogieman physically capable to physically beat down and kill a healthy "strong" karate knowing woman with a 'dog'. Physical strength and generic dogs in and of themselves are good to have but they are not as strong or useful an equalizer as is a concealed weapon such as a decent sized sharp blade or better yet a firearm.

This is the same guy who was here in our Tallahassee woods (Appalachicola Forest) and killed and beheaded a local woman from Waukulla County. He is also one of the reasons we are now allowed to conceal carry in the forests here.

Just like one of my many instructors in the art of gunfighting once told me - "If you look like food, you will be eaten" (Clint Smith, 1990).

That is the reason why you absolutely, positively travel armed in remote areas regardless of the rules. Because the police are not there to protect you. And as far as martial arts goes, a man vs a woman is a losing proposition every time, unless the guy is really drunk and has his guard down. The tactics she used might, I say might work in the city where there is a chance she might be heard, but out there you are in the jungle with the predators. And when in the jungle you must be prepared to be the meanest Mfer in the valley, with the most firepower and the will to use it.

It is just sad that poor woman did not understand this before going to that park. What really angers me, though is why these people in the legal profession choose to negotiate with these monsters "just to get a conviction". That is pure defeatist liberal nonsense. We should not be negotiating plea deals with murderers. I know here in Texas he would be on death row, and we would kill him about 8.5 years from now.

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined". - Patrick Henry

Monday, March 24, 2008
"She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive"

The sickening details of the murder of Meredith Emerson have been published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

One of the telling quotes to that sad tale is found about half-way down the article. It is from a Georgia Bureau of Investigation officer in response to the discovery that Meredith had not only struggled with her murderer, but when he asked for her ATM PIN number, she repeatedly gave him wrong numbers -- the quote is:

"That's one thing that broke my heart in this case," Bridges said. "She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive, and we didn't get there in time."

Allow me to repeat the salient point: "She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive"

That is incorrect.

Meredith Emerson did not do "everything she was supposed to do"

What she did was what forty years of liberal doublethink, forty years of pansy-arsed hippie empathy and guilt; and several decades of deliberate victim mentality systematically foisted onto the population in general and women in particular by the government and ivory-tower feel-good "intellectual" panty-waists have unilaterally decided that women are supposed to do.

In a just and sane world, Meredith Emerson would have been told from early girl-hood that she was expected to defend herself from unlawful force.

In a just and sane world, Meredith Emerson would have been taught not to fear firearms, but to accept them as tools for her defence.

In a just and sane world, Meredith Emerson would have grown up in a culture that supported her right to self-defence and a culture that promoted such.

In a just and sane world, Meredith Emerson would have been able to pick the firearm that best suited her without fear of arrest or sanction; and she would have been able to carry said firearm where and whenever she felt the need without some snot-nosed sanctimonious busybody drenching their knickers over that simple act.

In a just and sane world, Meredith Emerson would have been supported by state and Federal governments that would have allowed, abetted and encouraged her training with firearms.

In a just and sane world, when Gary Michael Hilton stepped out of the undergrowth with a bayonet and a baton, Meredith Emerson would have produced a .38 and centre-punched his rotten heart out through his spineless back.

Gary Michael Hilton is the rapist and murderer of Meredith Emerson.

The State and Federal Governments who consistently pass stupid and illogical firearms laws; the Brady Bunch who continue to parrot the foul and malicious lie that "Only the military and police need guns"; Hollywood's sanctimonious assertation that "Violence is never the answer", "Guns are a red-neck thing", and "Women will only get hurt by guns"; not to mention societies acceptance of the Cult of Victimhood to the point where said Cult is a gods-be-damned State Religion -- each and every one of these is an unindicted co-conspirator to the crimes that took this young ladies life.

That's the one thing that broke my heart in this case," said GBI agent Clay Bridges, who interviewed Hilton. "She was doing everything she was supposed to do to stay alive, and we didn't get there in time.

If that doesn't seal the case for the right to carry, I don't know what will.